Austrian Economic Policy News and Analysis

Austrian Raiffeisen Sector to Create Risk Fund

In order to establish a cross-guarantee system, the Austrian Raiffeisen sector has to create a risk fund in the amount of € 400m.

January 27, 2014

Hypo Group Alpe Adria: Austrian Government Is Helpless

The nationalized lender urgently needs a sustainable future concept. In reality, however, uncertainty is dominating.

January 27, 2014

Hypo Group Denies New Capital Shortfall

The nationalized Austrian lender Hypo Group Alpe Adria is said to require fresh founds in the amount of € 500m. The bank´s management claims the opposite.

January 25, 2014

S&P Keeps an Eye on Slovenian Banking Sector

The rating agency highlights the critical conditions of the Slovenian banking industry.

January 25, 2014

Hungary Faces Trend Reversal in Monetary Policy

The Hungarian National Bank (MNB) has cut the reference rate to 2.85% from 3.00%. The end of the easing cycle is not reached yet.

January 25, 2014

EBRD Presents New Strategy for Bosnia

The new strategy focuses on the development of small and medium-sized enterprises and the exporting industrial sector.

January 25, 2014

Romania´s President Opposes the IMF

Traian Basescu is strictly against imposing an additional tax on fuel. Whether Romania will achieve the budget target is highly uncertain.

January 24, 2014

Poland: More than Half of Borrowing Needs Covered

In CESEE, governments are in a hurry. The Polish government announced that about 50% of the borrowing needs could be covered in the first three weeks of 2014.

January 24, 2014

Croatia: S&P Downgrades Rating

Standard&Poors; has downgraded Croatia’s rating to “BB”. The outloock on the long-term rating for the country is at least “stable”.

January 24, 2014

Austria: OeNB Forecasts Modest Economic Growth

According to the Austrian National Bank (OeNB) economic growth in Austria only came at 0.3 percent last year.

January 24, 2014

Survey: CEOs in Romania Most Optimistic

A great majority of CEOs at Romanian enterprises are confident in regard to the economic outlook and growth in 2014.

January 24, 2014

CEE: Economic Sentiment at Lowest Level

ZEW-Erste Group Bank Economic Sentiment Indicator for the CEE at lowest level.

January 24, 2014

Czech Republic: New Government Appointed in Late January

Zeman expected to appoint even “problematic” candidates.

January 24, 2014

Slovenia: NLB Facing Downsizing Measures

Slovenian NLB is facing severe downsizing measures. As part of the restructuring process, the country’s biggest bank has to lay off personnel.

January 24, 2014

Serbia: World Bank Delays Loan

The World Bank has delayed a loan in the amount of US-$ 250m for Serbia.

January 24, 2014

RBI Not to Be Sold to Hungarian State

Hungarian Minister Varga announced that the Hungarian state had no interest in taking over RBI’s local affiliate. Instead, RBI announced that staying in Hungary was “the right decision”.

January 23, 2014

Eurozone: Highest Economic Growth in Two Years

The purchase manager index for the private economy increased to 53.2 points up by 1.1 points, as published by Markit research institute on Thursday.

January 23, 2014

CEE: Insolvencies Declining But Larger Effect

The number of insolvencies in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) is declining. However, the individual insolvencies are becoming larger, as reported by French credit insurer Coface.

January 23, 2014

Poland: Banking Sentiment Rises

The Polish banking sentiment indicator Pengab increased by 1.2 points in January on a month-on-month comparison basis to a total of 27.5 points.

January 23, 2014

Bulgaria Imposes Interest Ceiling on Quick Loans

The Bulgarian parliament plans on putting a lid on the interst rates of quick loans.

January 23, 2014

Slovenia: Bank Losses Tripled in 2013

Over the last year losses in the banking sector tripled to almost € 1.1bn.

January 23, 2014

Hypo Group: Decision Within First Quarter of 2014

The long-awaited meeting between the government and Hypo Group’s taskforce has been fixed to find a solution of the Austrian problem bank. The option of a bank participation is still on top of the list.

January 23, 2014

Uniqa Growing Faster Than Czech Insurance Market

Insurance group Uniqa reveals a significant increase in premiums in the first three quarter in 2013. Moreover, Uniqa showed an increase of CZK 3.3bn in the sector non-life insurance and CZK 877m in life insurances.

January 22, 2014

Bank Dispute between Croatia and Slovenia Reappears

Last year Slovenia was ordered in the first instance to pay back the foreign currency deposits of LB’s former affiliate in Sarajevo.

January 22, 2014

Eurozone: Number of Banks Declining Fastly

The decline in the number of euro area monetary financial institutions (MFI) continued in 2013, according to ECB’s (European Central Bank) reports.

January 22, 2014

Austria: Debt Rate Rises Unstoppably

In the third quarter last year the Austrian public debt rate increased significantly compared to the previous quarter.

January 22, 2014

CA Immo to Repurchase Liabilities

Listed real estate company CA Immobilien Anlagen AG announced to repurchase its own liabilities of around € 428m in nominal terms.

January 22, 2014

Croatia Supports Albania in EU Accession Course

Albania hopes that EU Accession Negotiations will take place in June 2014.

January 22, 2014

Austrian Bank Levy: “Penalty Gone Wild”

On the basis of a new method of calculation around € 90m more in bank levy should be generated compared to the previous year.

January 22, 2014

Slovenian Economy to Shrink “Only” 2 Percent

According to the ERBD’s (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development) revision, Slovenia’s economy will shrink “only” 2 percent up from a 2.5 contraction of GDP which was forecast in November.

January 22, 2014

“No Real Wage Loss This Year“

In terms of real wages, Austria may face a trend reversal this year. In Southeastern Europe, by contrast, poverty is growing considerably.

January 21, 2014

„Only A Catastrophy Will Bring a Change“

Bestselling author Marc Friedrich criticizes the IMF sharply and thinks that the Basel III framework is “ridiculous”. The U.S. monetary policy is “doomed to failure”.

January 21, 2014

Vienna Congress comsult 2014: "Europe - Setting Directions"

Distinguished participants from industry, politics and the business community such as the former German Minister of Finance and Member of the German Bundestag Peer Steinbrück, the former President of the Czech Republic Václav Klaus, Deputy Prime Minister of Liechtenstein Thomas Zwiefelhofer, Mastermind of David Cameron, Phillip Blond, Member of the European Parliament Paul Rübig, economist and co-founder of AfD Bernd Lucke and Iain Begg, professorial research fellow at the London School of Economics and Political Science are currently dicussing this issue in Vienna.

January 21, 2014

Czech Economy to Grow Not Sooner than 2016

The Czech economy will struggle to show economic growth both this and next year, according to the Czech Federation of Trade Unions CMKOS.

January 21, 2014

Austria: Nowotny Calls for Fast Decision on Hypo Group

The Governor of the Austrian National Bank (OeNB) presses the government to act quickly and avoid further straining the budget and burdening the taxpayers.

January 21, 2014

Erste to Maintain Business in Hungary

According to CEO of Erste Group’s Hungarian affiliate, the bank will remain in the country to expand business activity.

January 21, 2014

Serbia: "Kosovo Part of Whole Package"

Serbia hopes to join the union until the year 2020. The solving of the issue with Kosovo remains a key condition. Austrian Foreign Minister Kurz stresses the importance of the region becoming a part of the European Union.

January 21, 2014

Czech Republic: New Government Facing Bumpy Road

The first obstacles for forming a new government seem to have been surmounted – for the time being.

January 21, 2014

Spindelegger Met Almunia: „Bank Aids Were No Issue“

Today, Austrian Minister of Finance Michael Spindelegger has met Commissioner for competition Joaquin Almunia.

January 20, 2014

Austria: Fischer Calls Upon Respect of Human Rights

At the New Year Reception for the diplomatic corps in Austria, President Heinz Fischer called upon the strict compliance to human rights.

January 20, 2014

Austria: Real Estate Prices Surging since Financial Crisis

Prices in the Austrian real estate market have been rising dramatically since the financial crisis broke out.

January 20, 2014

Erste Group: Moderate Economic Recovery in Eurozone

Euro area sentiment indicators point to a continuation of the moderate recovery, according to Erste Bank.

January 20, 2014

Poland to Do without Further Bond Issues

Poland will abstain from issuing new US-Dollar or Eurobonds.

January 20, 2014

Kotian: “Growth in CEE is Accelerating“

In an interview with Austrian daily “Wirtschafts-Blatt”, CEE expert at Erste Group, Juraj Kotian, points out that the bond market is expected to see growth supported by the successful reduction of debts and high economic growth.

January 20, 2014

Uniqa Serbia Continues to Grow

Market share increases to 7.3 per cent in third quarter of 2013. Premium volume for life insurance up 18.5 per cent.

January 20, 2014

Austrian Banks to Resist Further Burdens?

Podium discussion at Viennese law firm Binder Grösswang.

January 20, 2014

Austrian Office Market: Boom is Over

The increase in new construction has reached a new low. According to Bernhard Reikersdorfer (CEO of Remax Austria), the price situation will remain stable.

January 20, 2014

Mitterlehner: „Hypo Group Must Not Burden State Budget“

Austria´s Minister of Economics underlined that the Austrian government is looking for an effective and cost-saving solution for the nationalized Lender Hypo Group Alpe Adria.

January 20, 2014

Austria Far from Reaching Fiscal Targets

Josef Moser, President of the Austrian Audit Court fears that the zero deficit cannot be achieved until 2016.

January 18, 2014

„Hungarian Economy Must be Rearranged“

István Töröcskei thinks that the Hungarian banking sector is highly interesting. In general, the financial sector must help to develop the Hungarian economy, Töröcskei argues.

January 18, 2014